How to get your car running past 200k miles

ELLESMERE PORT, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 18: Vauxhall motor cars sit in the distribution yard at the company's manufacturing plant on February 18, 2009 in Ellesmere Port, England. Vauxhall's parent company General Motors and Chrysler are are seeking a further USD $21.6bn in aid as they release plans to cut 50,000 jobs. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Christopher Furlong

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It’s practically a given that our car will make it to the 100,000-mile mark, but doubling or even tripling that number seems impossible without needing a big dollar repair.

Service manager, Brad Deen at The Import Mechanics says, it’s very possible to have your car running past 200,000 miles. He says one of the most important factors is keeping an eye on fluid levels.

Deen says another big thing to watch is tire pressure. “If tires run over pressure you have bad tire wear problems and under pressure is a very big issue. We see a lot of blowouts with people who have not had their tire pressure checked in over 3 months.”

Just like a doctor’s appointment, you should have your car serviced or checked two to three times a year by a trusted mechanic. But, for those of you whose car has already passed the 100,000-mile mark, Deen says, you should double all service recommendations.

“Avoiding potholes, driving too fast over speed bumps, things of that nature, all of that is extremely hard on a modern suspension."

And, if you don’t drive carefully, you’ll notice your car deteriorating faster than it should. “If you get one loose suspension component you don’t take care of, it kind of turns into a domino effect and that’s a huge part of your vehicle getting to 200k,” says Deen.

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